Rare beer? You can keep it

I donít blame people who do it Ė some of these rare beers are fabulous and worthy of being sought out. If you have the energy and time to do it, go for it. Have fun and enjoy the beer.

But for me, I just donít have it in me anymore I used to rush to the beer store whenever a new beer was out that I really wanted was coming just so I could be one of the first in line to get it.

Now, there seems like a new level of craziness when a new rare beer comes out. I read accounts online of people following delivery trucks to get bottles of this yearís Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. I read of people going store-to-store to get as much as they can before others have a chance to get it.

So, Iím not doing it anymore. There are so many beers relatively easy to get that I really enjoy. There are also plenty of special release beers that I can get days and weeks after theyíre delivered to my local liquor store. New beers, both from Massachusetts and beyond, seem to be hitting the shelves every day. Iíll never be wanting for good beer and beers to write about and to review.

Donít get me wrong, if I happen to be at a liquor store in the next few days and I see a Bourbon County Brand Stout, thereís a good chance Iíll buy it. And, if a coconut beer is released that will sell out right away, all bets are off. For the most part, though, Iím not going to be making any special liquor store stops for rare beers.

This wonít stop my beer trips Ė I waited in line for Kate the Great at the Portsmouth Brewery and I traveled to Vermont to buy the Alchemistís Heady Topper and some Lawsonís Finest Liquids beers. However, I look at those as more a beery adventure rather than a search for a white whale beer. I did it just as much to spend time with friends and fellow beer geeks as I did with the beer.

If you happen to have gotten your hands on some rare beers, cheers. Iíll toast you with a Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, a beer I love and look forward to every year.

Norman Miller

I am giving up on chasing rare beers.

I donít blame people who do it Ė some of these rare beers are fabulous and worthy of being sought out. If you have the energy and time to do it, go for it. Have fun and enjoy the beer.

But for me, I just donít have it in me anymore I used to rush to the beer store whenever a new beer was out that I really wanted was coming just so I could be one of the first in line to get it.

Now, there seems like a new level of craziness when a new rare beer comes out. I read accounts online of people following delivery trucks to get bottles of this yearís Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. I read of people going store-to-store to get as much as they can before others have a chance to get it.

So, Iím not doing it anymore. There are so many beers relatively easy to get that I really enjoy. There are also plenty of special release beers that I can get days and weeks after theyíre delivered to my local liquor store. New beers, both from Massachusetts and beyond, seem to be hitting the shelves every day. Iíll never be wanting for good beer and beers to write about and to review.

Donít get me wrong, if I happen to be at a liquor store in the next few days and I see a Bourbon County Brand Stout, thereís a good chance Iíll buy it. And, if a coconut beer is released that will sell out right away, all bets are off. For the most part, though, Iím not going to be making any special liquor store stops for rare beers.

This wonít stop my beer trips Ė I waited in line for Kate the Great at the Portsmouth Brewery and I traveled to Vermont to buy the Alchemistís Heady Topper and some Lawsonís Finest Liquids beers. However, I look at those as more a beery adventure rather than a search for a white whale beer. I did it just as much to spend time with friends and fellow beer geeks as I did with the beer.

If you happen to have gotten your hands on some rare beers, cheers. Iíll toast you with a Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, a beer I love and look forward to every year.

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